Worried About Sixers And Free Agency
Hey Daryl Morey, stay away from our players.
Morey, the general manager of the Houston Rockets, has ESPN media types like Adrian Wojnarowski reporting that the Rockets plan to go after the Sixers’ Jimmy Butler in free agency in a sign and trade deal.
But why would the Philadelphia 76ers want to sign Butler and trade him to Houston? Hey, Morey, we don’t want your stinkin’ players. If the Sixers don’t like the players offered in a sign and trade then don’t make the trade.
NBA free agency officially begins at 6 p.m. Eastern Sunday, June 30. For selfish reasons, I liked it better when free agency began July 1. This date is my birthday and sitting up watching where guys are signing was a great way to start by birthday at midnight.
Back to free agency this year. No, I wasn’t thrilled about signing Butler to a five-year deal north of $190 million, but I saw how clutch he was in big games and in the playoffs.
As Brett Brown said: “He was James Butler.” And he was “The adult in the room” after some of his clutch performances.
I believe Butler would be great on the Sixers for about three years of the five-year deal and then he’d become a malcontent like he did in Chicago and Minnesota.
But Maybe the Sixers can front load the contract with more money up front and make it easier to trade him in years four and five.
The Sixers have three huge free agents this summer: Tobias Harris, JJ Redick and Butler. My gut says they don’t resign all three of these guys.
I believe they will try, but won’t be successful bringing all three back from last year’s team that lost in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
I also believe they spent too many assets – traded players and draft picks – to not bring back Harris and Butler; these two give them a best chance to win now.
Now, if free agency plays out like it did last summer and things get drawn out, I could see the Sixers coming out of the 2019 free agency as big losers.
Why?
If Butler and Harris drag things out, free agents that would be on their Plan B and Plan C list will sign elsewhere.
That happened last year. The Sixers attempted to lure LeBron James to Philly. After several days he opted for the Lakers. By the time the music stopped, the teams’s free agents – Erson Illosova and Marco Belineli – signed with other teams and the 76ers had to opt for acquiring Mike Muscala and Wilson Chandler; neither were very consistent or dependable.
Tom Moore of the Bucks County Courier Times wrote a story detailing what the Sixers should do, in case they have to wait for Butler. My first thought: They can’t wait. If he wants to shop around and not take their max deal, then make offers to other players. Be aggressive.
The Sixers can’t play games with Harris or Butler. Ask them is they’d take a little less so the team sign other players, but if they say no, then offer them the max years and money and get them signed.
Sure, it is not my money, but as fan who suffered through at least three lean years of “The Process,” trading away players like Dario Saric, Robert Covington and Landry Shamet and No.1 draft picks, will leave a bad taste in my mouth if these players leave after half a season.
The Sixers lost in second round the last two year, but they were a better this season with Harris and Butler than they were with Saric (loved him) and Covington.
In fact, the Sixers should have beaten the Raptors in the Eastern Semis. I’m not just talking about Toronto getting the winning shot that bounced four times before falling in Game 7 against the Raptors. The Sixers owned a 2-1 lead in the series and should have won Game 4 at home. If they win that game, they win the series.
Playing well against the Raptors, the eventual NBA champions, but not advancing left people thinking the team was close. I would have liked to seen the starting five of Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, Redick, Harris and Butler play more together.
I would have liked to see Brown use Harris more in pick-and-rolls on offense. That seemed to be a strength for Harris earlier in the season when he played for the LA Clippers.
The Sixers used screen and rolls with Harris and Butler late in the season in a home win against the Celtics, but did not run set plays for Harris very often.
The lack of calling plays for Harris and him being a fourth option on offense may have him shopping around.
On the flip side, he might be tired of moving, as the Sixers are his fifth team in eight years. Maybe he wants to set roots close to home; he’s from Long Island, N.Y.
Harris is a great team player. He rebounds. He hits 3-pointers. He’s still young (age 26). The Sixers gave up a ton to get him. So they should do what it takes to keep him.
As far as Butler, he make the winning basket and carry team. He proved this last season. He wants the ball in pressure situations. He plays good defense and can play the point guard position.
I believe he and his agent are enjoying the rumors and reports about him taking meets with Houston and Miami. The reports help to drive up his price tag.
Do I think the price is to high for both Butler and Harris to get max deals? Yes.
Do I think these two players give the Sixers the best change to go deep into the playoffs and win an NBA championship? Maybe. Yes. Well, maybe.
I think they need to get a decision on Butler sooner rather than later. If he goes signs with another team, I’d go throw big money at Malcolm Brogdon.
The former Rookie of the Year from Milwaukee plays defense, shoots the 3-ball, rebounds and passes well. He can play some point, if needed as well. He’d be a perfect compliment to Simmons.
Oh, and Brogdon’s middle name is Moses. Remember the last time the Sixers had a guy with the name Moses (Malone). Yeah, it worked out pretty well.
I sometimes wonder if signing two out of the three between Brogdon, Al Horford and Patrick Beverly would not be a better fit for the short and long term future of the Sixers.
Horford can shoot from the outside, is great in screen-and-roll, is a great passer. He could play next to Embiid for about 15 minutes a game and fit into the backup center role for the Sixers. He’s a short-term solution, though, as he his 33 years old.
Beverly shoots great from outside and Philly fans would love his tenacity on defense.
The key is time. Time is not on the Sixers’ side. They need to act quickly and make strong offers to Harris and Butler. Offer them the max deals.
If Harris and Butler stretch things out, the Sixers must be ready to offer Brogdon, Horford and Beverly. The Sixers need to make sure they are not caught off guard, flat-footed. Have a plan B ready, in case Harris and Butler sign with another team.
The Sixers need to make sure they go to go the training camp in September with a quality backup center.
They need versatile players, guys who can switch on screens and play defense. They need at least two quality shooters, guys who can spread the court, allowing Embiid and Simmons space to operate.
They need Daryl Morey to leave their players alone.